In Need of a Hand
by TheGreatHibiki
Summary: Jaune was the one who went to stop Cinder, but after being toyed with he ends up a broken figure lying in a hospital bed on Patch. Given an option to regain a semblance of a normal life he takes it. But how much is left of the leader of JNPR, and can a fellow wounded warrior help him keep his head above water? Perhaps they both need a helping hand. [Dragonslayer]
1. With Hands that Can't Feel the Cold

He went in her place. Tricking her like she would have tricked him, not allowing her to fling him away. It had taken almost everything he had to climb to Ozpin's office, to face the woman talking calmly to the beast in the window. And here he fought. To the point it surprised both of them, enough that the Grimm dragon had to level the playing field quite literally. Crocea Mors lay in pieces, his shield red hot and melting, buried somewhere in the rubble.

Yet despite everything he tried, he could not do more than annoy the woman before him as she toyed with him. But playtime was over, the woman had grown weary of his stubbornness. Glass and dust had combined into a molten sword, wicked and evil like the grin on the beautiful but deadly woman's face. He struggled to get to his knees, some bizarre niggle of a thought left in his pain filled head that if he were to die, he would do so standing. It took him a moment to realize that he was falling over, a moment longer to feel the pain, and the moment after that to come to terms that his right arm was now lying under his left. He screamed, the dragon giving a cry drowning out his horror.

"You brought this on yourself. Had you been worthy of my time I would have appreciated our fight more. Any last words? Anything I should pass on to your teammates for you, perhaps?" Jaune, perhaps in shock or just blood lust turned his eyes upwards towards the woman, his left hand grabbing the first thing it could to swing upwards at the woman with a yell of defiance. For his troubles he gained a second shock to his system to see his left forearm sailing into her face holding his right arm, the only damage she had received thus far from his battle had been being blinded a moment with his blood. That same blood was pouring from the remains of his limbs, stumps now, as he stared, awaiting the blade to come down on his person. He'd die on his knees, at least it wasn't on the ground. He could at least accept that he had tried his best, that Pyrrha and the others would make it out of here okay.

"Bitch." He spat. She had wiped his blood out of her eyes enough to see, leaving a gruesome mask as she rose her blade.

"Pathetic." She replied with a sneer. A solid thump drew their attention to a all too familiar figure landing on the tower, her silver eyes taking in the arm less form of her dying friend and the figure ready to extinguish his life before her. Those same silver eyes who flashed the color away from the world with a cry of a name.

"JAUNE!"

(-o0O0o-)

In Need of a Hand

By

Hibiki

Imagine you could have the rights to RWBY, but for the rest of your life, you would have to clean up every mess or problem created by every Rooster Teeth 'Million Dollars, But..." challenge accepted. Would it be worth it? Not for me.

RWBY is created by Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth.

Chapter One:

With Hands that Can't Feel the Cold.

(-o0O0o-)

Four Days Later, Patch:

Qrow was, in his own round about way, answering the recently awoken niece. It had been a confusing few minutes with her father, asking about Yang and the others before her uncle had come in asking her about things.

"And what's the last thing you remember?"

"I ran up the side of the tower, and when I got to the top, I..." Ruby looked alarmed. "Jaune! Is he...?" Qrow sighed, looking as if he wanted to take a drink from his flask than answer, but answer he did.

"He's... Alive. But he's in bad shape down at the hospital."

"I..." Ruby began to tear up, remembering the gruesome scene she had found. "I... I got to the top... and I saw Jaune..." The tears gained a friend as she angrily growled out "and Cinder... and then everything went white!"

"Anything else?" Ruby's reply, and the following conversation would be regarded as the single most influential moment that would bring about the end of Salem, but that was a story for another place.

(-o0O0o-)

Two Days later, Patch Medical Center:

The chaos of the past days had dwindled, yet the hectic nature remained a constant buzz of noise and murmurs that for the form laying in the bed in the far corner seemed unable to grasp. In fact there was nothing the man sitting there in the bed was able to grasp, the sheet that cradled his broken form plainly proved. Beside him were three people, two young women and one young man, his team; his friends. It was somber, muted and distorted like it had been since Ruby had done whatever she had to save his life. Like life had it's vibrancy sucked away, leaving nothing.

"... Jaune." Oh, were they saying something? His bloodshot cerulean turned to look at equally tear stained aqua, of the girl sitting besides him. Nora looked so small, so uncertain. He hated it. Like he hated so much that had happened in the last week.

"Sorry, what?" He softly asked to her.

"Pyrrha wanted to talk to you alone, okay Jaune? We'll be right back." He nodded slowly. All three of his teammates rarely left his side, even when he had done nothing more than cry at the unfamiliar ceiling as he came to terms with his maiming. He nodded, watching Ren guide Nora away gently. Good ol' Ren. Dependable. His eyes turned to a figure who was as mentally as broken as his body. Pyrrha had not accepted his condition well, nor had she accepted the reason for it. Guilt upon anger filled the Mistralian champion, making her shout harsh words he knew that despite her pain, were only half true. So more guilt filled her, leaving her quiet after crying in the chair for hours. She hadn't said anything since, merely keeping a silent vigil over him, getting anything he asked, which wasn't much.

"Jaune... I... I just want to say I'm sorry. About what I said, why I said them. I was so scared. I didn't mean to say them."

"But it's true." It was his first words to her since the kiss. "I went after someone so much powerful than myself and came back a cripple. I only have myself to blame. I should have ran away. But I wasn't going to let you die up there. I'm... I was your partner. Your team leader. So I made a choice. I might regret what happened to me... I hate it, but I won't ever regret keeping my friends, my team, alive." He rose up, letting the sheet fall away from his torso, their bloodied bandages showing just how much Cinder had taken from him.

"J-Jaune..." Her horror stricken eyes taking in the damage dealt to him. His left was cut from just above his elbow, his right... was gone, from the shoulder down. Just... gone.

"You're alive. Ren is alive, Nora and our friends are alive. This was the price _I_ paid for that to happen. So... so be it. We're here together, that's all that matters." If anything Pyrrha looked more ill at his words, loking down, fingers playing with her sash frantically. "What is it?"

"Jaune... I'm leaving." His silence spoke more volumes than any yelling or words ever could. "I've spoken to Ruby, just after she woke up. She's heading to Mistral, to Haven, after the person who did this to you, to Beacon. I'm going to go with her. I know Anima quite well, and how dangerous it will be, so I..." Her resolve broke at his silence. "It's not too late, I can tell her I'll stay here-"

"Go." Jaune looked to her, his eyes firm and hardy, for the first time since the doctor had laid out what had happened and what would continue to happen for him. "Ruby needs all the help she can get if Cinder is that powerful. It makes sense that you should go too. You're from Mistral, you know what she will need to know." Ren and Nora had returned by that point. "However, take Ren and Nora with you."

"What?" Pyrrha's gasped reply was just half a second faster than the exotic duo.

"Aren't you two are from Anima too? Like I said. Ruby will need all the help she can get. What she is doing is more important than a washed out huntsman like me."

"...Jaune..." Ren's cautionary tone spoke volumes on how he felt at his leader's defeatist attitude. But Jaune had his leader cap on once more. The needs of the many outweighed the needs of the few. Especially the one.

"Go with Ruby, this is my last order as leader of Team JNPR. Save Haven, don't let it fall like Beacon did."

The remaining trio of JNPR looked to each other. The constant buzz of noise and murmurs of the hospital being the only sounds. Jaune knew his team well enough to know their answer.

(-o0O0o-)

A Week later:

The nurse helped another mouthful of... something, he really couldn't taste it, into his mouth. He had been alone for the last three days, with Ruby and the others heading for Mistral just after the first snow fall had reached Patch. The cold... His... 'limbs' ached from it. He winced as another spike of phantom pain struck, feeling all the more pathetic that she had to wipe his face of spilt food from the action. Now alone without his team to try and lift his spirits he had hit an all time low.

The nurse said pleasant, but ultimately dull and unsatisfying, things as she finished feeding him, and he was left to think once more. He was like that hours later when the Doctor, the one who had talked to him at the start of his time here, returned.

"Mr. Arc. I know for a Huntsman such as yourself this setback-" Jaune scoffed at the idea of losing both arms was a setback. "-would have normally only hampered you for however long it took for Atlas to send Vale a set of artificial replacements. However with the CCT down, little can be done. We've sent information to Atlas via a courier to begin work, but without any way of knowing if they received it, it could be months... if ever before proper replacements arrive." If this was suppose to cheer him up, the doctor needed a new shtick. "That said there is an alternative... Vale still has some older styled myoelectrics... before our treaty with Atlas, that could be used. They aren't as... versatile as the modern ones made in Atlas, but they would allow you a modicum of self reliance."

"What's the catch?" Jaune had heard the hesitation in the man's voice.

"We would have to attach these directly into your nerves in order for them to function and your Aura to flow through the limbs. It is a painful and dangerous procedure with another possible side effect." Jaune rose an eyebrow waiting for the doctor to elaborate. "Ahem... there is also the possibility that these prosthetic and the surgery required would make you inoperable with the Atlas myoelectrics should they arrive."

"How soon could the operation begin should I take this route?" The doctor took a look at his clipboard for a few minutes.

"We could be ready in three days." Jaune sighed. Three days... or an untold number of months... if ever. The danger didn't really scare him, not since staring at death almost two weeks ago.

"I'll do it."

"I understand, Mr. Arc. We'll begin preparations immediately."

(-o0O0o-)

Three Months Later, Patch:

Yang stared dispassionately out her window at the snow, her hair a disarray. She hadn't felt much the need to keep it in more than a ponytail anyway. Not that she could brush her hair with... She looked down at the remains of her arm.

"I'm Home!" She heard her father call out. There were footsteps coming up to her room, and she sighed, knowing she would be seeing guests, even if she didn't want them. Turning her head at the sound of her father knocking on her door frame she found herself looking at two familiar blondes. "Hey Kiddo, I have a friend who wanted to come say hello. He'll be staying with us for a while until the snow clears up in spring." Jaune walked forward, his normal hoodie free of armor, leaving her to giggle a little at the image of a bunny logo upon it.

"Snk... Gnk... P-pumpkin Pete's?"

"That's really the first thing you have to say, Yang?" She stopped laughing as she watched him struggle to bring gloved hands up to hide the logo from view. She had heard he'd been injured... but no one had mentioned how badly. Had she not seen the gleam of silver between his hoodie and the gloves she wouldn't have believed them until then. "Still good to hear you laugh." His smile was weak, but there. "Been needing to hear one."

"Anyway... Jaune will be using your sister's room while he recuperates from his surgery, so no walking around in your panty's Missy." Yang flushed with the insinuation, Jaune did too, though it was a mix of fear and imagination.

"That was one time! I was seven!" Taiyang laughed his way past Jaune, giving the lad a pat on his shoulder.

"Make yourself at home, Jaune."

"T-thank you, sir."

"Call me Tai." Jaune nodded to him and the older blonde left the two of them alone in a pall of awkward silence.

"You hear from Ruby?" The male called out finally, making his way to a chair set up in her room. Yang sighed, knowing she would have company, even if she didn't feel like it.

"No. With the CCT down all we can do is post. You know how regular that is." Postmen were always in high demand in rural areas where the CCT didn't reach, and even more so now in all areas with the demise of Vale's CCT. However dangers lurked with the ever promise of Grimm. Turnover rates were incredibly high with postmen, almost as high as their mortality rate.

Jaune nodded but the silence returned. This time no one offered to break it. It was several minutes before Jaune finally gave a yawn and rose, his arms dangling unnaturally as he did so.

"Well, if you don't mind, I'm going to go take a nap before dinner. I'll talk to you later, Yang."

"Sleep well, Vomit boy." Jaune grumbled at hearing that name. The moment his head went round the corner Yang called out, feeling a need to say something more. "Jaune?" He leaned back, blue eyes peering into the late afternoon gloom of her room. "I'm glad you're here. It's been... lonely without Ruby and the others around."

"I know. I felt the same way." He made to turn around to walk to Ruby's room but paused. "Hey Yang? If you ever need to talk. I'm here, okay?" He walked away without waiting for a reply, leaving her to think about what he said.

(-o0O0o-)

To be Continued...?

AN: this idea struck me hard and refused to let go. Jaune pulling a Pyrrha, but being so much less a match than he was to Cinder in V5 meant she toyed with him. I could see her doing this to Jaune, it fits her psychotic nature. This if I think I can continue it would be a Dragonslayer story, of them helping each other through their mutual crisis. Jaune's prosthetic are based on Violet Evergarden's from the show named after the character. I picture in the era of peace Atlas was willing to provide tools to it's allies to keep their fighting force capable. Yang had earned her place with Ironwood, but Jaune perhaps would but it's not known. This story was a niggle I couldn't get out of my way to write Pain. However I am hoping Pain will return next week. R&R if this is something you'd like to see, I'll see if interest is here and then what I can do to get this in the lineup. The name of this story alone makes me cringe. If anyone can think of a better name, let me know.


	2. Gloves are Hard

In Need of a Hand

By

Hibiki

Imagine you could have the rights to RWBY, but for the rest of your life, you would have to clean up every mess or problem created by every Rooster Teeth 'Million Dollars, But..." challenge accepted. Would it be worth it? Not for me.

RWBY is created by Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth.

Chapter Two:

Gloves are hard.

(-o0O0o-)

It had been days since Jaune had arrived at the cabin. It felt awkward. While he had come to talk to her, mostly about his family back home or useless throw away conversations, Yang had been open to him but hessitant in her words. It was as if with the cutting of her arm her louder boisterous nature had been cut away as well, leaving her uncertain of anything different. This Jaune was very different than the one she knew at Beacon. Not so much in voice but in actions. This was a quieter Jaune than she was use to, prone to lapsing into minutes of silences in conversations. It often made it seem like the cabin was empty even though he was around.

When she did brave the outside world, beyond the safety of her bed, She'd often find him sitting quietly, looking out the window, fingers moving slowly, almost painfully. Ruby had mentioned he had been hurt, even crying when Yang had asked. Her father also mentioned it, but he refused to say how badly, citing that it wasn't his place. This morning she found herself waking up to the sounds of movement in the hallway outside her door. Moving as quietly as she could, her balance still off more due to her lack of trying than time, she gently opened her door to see Tai slipping into Ruby's room. Quiet but distinctly male voices softly made there way to her ears, but so indistinct she couldn't make out the words. Curiosity more in line with her ex-partner filled her and she sneaked down the hall towards the room.

"-re right. I should see about getting some button downs, my clothes are too hard to get on now. The buttons could be a problem though."

What she found was her father helping Jaune put his hoodie on and to her stunned countenance, the reason why.

His left arm was missing, his half on hoodie showing the end of flesh a few inches above where his elbow would be. Her shoulder ached remembering the feeling of waking up with her right arm gone.

In place of his arm a metal one slowly moved to enter the sleeve being held by Taiyang. However to her growing shock the macabre scene took another level of shock as her eyes took notice at the metal to skin connection. The flesh was red, irritated and still healing despite it being months since the fall of Beacon. It looked painful. All of it. Not to mention the lack of fluidity he had, given in the seconds she had been there, was still trying to slip on the hoodie with Tai's help.

She gasped at the sight once her mind had processed it. The noise caused the two men to jump, causing her to as well, right into the wall. Startled and guilty at being caught peeking, she backpedaled trying to remove herself from the room. However the small carpet with Ruby's name upon it wasn't ready for such extreme maneuvers and fled from under Yang's unstable footing. With a yelp,Yang fell back with eyes wide in shock as she tried to catch herself with her non existent right hand.

"Yang!" An arm slid towards her, and her hand grabbed the sleeve with some force to try and avoid the painful fall. She slowed, but there was a pop from the seam of Jaune's hoodie that told it wasn't going to hold her. Before she could do anything but close her eyes for the waiting drop, the pop became a start of a series that ripped the sleeves from the rest of the garment. Lavender eyes clenched further in preparation of the fall, and not a moment later she ended up on her now stinging butt with a pained hiss. "Yang, are you alright?"

"Y-yeah. Sorry." She rubbed her bottom, looking at her body as she accepted the hand offered to her. It was cold, and so different than she had assumed that it made her pause. Looking to the arm extended out before her she gasped again. The sleeve she had ripped off had done nothing to hide the prosthetic arm reaching out for her. It looked like a steel skeletal arm from the shoulder down. In fact unlike so many of the other types of prosthetic she had seen it looked a bit like something from an old Valian horror movie, the kind the family had watched staring Vincent Pines before Summer's passing. The surprise at the feel of his hand and appearance of his arms caused her to let go as he, unknowing of her surprise, tried to pull her up and she hit the floor with a bang a second time. It was complete with a sad little 'ow' at the pain that had Jaune wince. She looked over Jaune's form for a second time as he did so, noticing just how hollow he looked with the various scars on his chest and sides from the battle. It was all that she could see under his still half on top. Finally she reached his face, taking in the worn and tired expression on his face, the resigned nature of it all as he rose back onto his feet, the steel hands slowly gripping the ripped away sleeve to put it on the bed. The motion of the hands looked unnatural and struck something in her as she noticed further scars on his back.

Tai's expression as Jaune turned away wasn't cold, but it was less understanding than usual as his daughter's eyes roamed over their guest. It was cold, however, when her lavender eyes turned to him with a look at almost screamed pity. He didn't like it. Having known huntsman who had been injured as bad or worse and knowing how they felt about such thoughts made Tai more disappointed in his daughter than angry and more than a little embarrassed at his failure to teach her better manners.

"I-I'm s-sorry." She stuttered out the apology, so unlike her it made both men look to her with unreadable expressions that just made her feel worse. She hated feeling like this. She rose up, using the door frame to pull herself up with her remaining arm and she hurried out the door.

Jaune sighed. He hated that look in her eyes. It was fear, uncertainty, coupled with some slight combination of pity and understanding. Jaune sighed before he glanced to his left arm, noting the heavy weight of the things that had become his arms were still hard for him to look at. Still hard to realize they were part of him even though with effort he could make them work almost like they were his own.

"Sorry about your hoodie." Tai mentioned, looking at the torn right sleeve of the Pumpkin Pete's hoodie Jaune was half wearing. Jaune frowned, anger growing in his eyes at remembering Yang's look. His metal left hand ran over the half torn right sleeve a moment then ripped it away completely, leaving it sleeveless. The left sleeve soon ended up like it's counterpart upon the bed as he finished pulling the garment on his own, the sleeves no longer being in the way.

"Guess I was going to grow out of it eventually." He eventually replied to the calm older man in the room. Tai nodded in understanding.

"Don't blame her, she's been through a lot over the years. Yang..." Tai looked up and sighed. "It's her story to say why... but give her time, she'll come around." Jaune nodded.

"Right... Sorry to ask, but next time your in town can you get me some button down shirts. I'll... I'll pay you back." Jaune frowned realizing he needed to do something to earn some Lien.

"Sure. Don't worry about it kid, I know you're good for it." Again the man good nature patted him on the shoulder and headed out.

(-o0O0o-)

It was days later when Jaune saw Yang again, the girl having hidden herself away from everyone. He had heard Tai arguing with her as he dressed that morning, apparently tired of the girl hiding. He had been slowly learning how to address the buttons on the various shirts Tai had picked up for him in Patch. In fact an hour later he was still working down the shirt. Sweat poured down his brow into his eyes, his teeth clenching at another missed step as his 'fingers' lost grip with the white fabric.

He gasped, releasing a breath he didn't know he had been holding and fell back onto the bed, staring at the ceiling. He gave a dry chuckle once again at the glow in the dark Beowulf heads on the ceiling above him before lifting his right arm up, trying to flex his fingers as if he was trying to squish those same Beowolves. It had been an exercise he developed since his arrival to try and build the dexterity up in his digits, learning the peculiar feeling and mental thought it took to make them work.

" _I'm sorry Mr. Arc, there is nothing more we can do to help you unless the Atlas models come in. Unless your control improves I cannot say you will ever hold a sword again."_

Jaune blew out a aggravated breath, blowing some of the sweat from his face in exasperation. That doctor shouldn't be allowed to tell anyone anything. In a world where Grimm invasion is possibly merely by generated negativity, that doctor must have been working in leagues with Cinder and her ilk.

He continued squishing the Beowolves, finding the visual not only peaceful as he cooled off from his exasperated effort, it was helpful towards his self imposed exercise; but also the thought of being able to do so with real Grimm brought a hope for the future and his rehabilitation. After crushing his twenty ceiling foes each five times per arm, he rose up with a better mood and determination.

The buttons started off easier, probably due to the slight accidental widening of the button holes by him trying to force the buttons into them. However as he got lower the fresher of the button holes still proved to be tricky but somehow, after a time he managed it, and all on his own. He smiled. The first real smile since he had arrived and talked to Yang. He quickly slid on his recently modified, Tai had cleaned it up a little, hoodie. With the lack of sleeves really aiding in him putting it on on his own it was a welcome addition to due to the winter's chill in the air. Simple boots replaced complex sneakers, tucked under his jeans leaving him in his basically new normal attire.

Jaune sighed as he finally looked to the two simple brown gloves with much trepidation. They took the most effort to get on and actually made his 'hands' hurt with the action of trying to put them on. The left slide on only due to his teeth grabbing hold and pulling it to his 'wrist'. It nearly impossible for him to duplicate the action of wiggling the glove on or pulling it with his right hand with any meaningful motion still. In many ways it angered him that something so... simple and menial was so far beyond him still. He gave a grunt as he finally slipped the glove over the left hand and let it drop, the act tiring him in ways the buttons did not. He started to sigh again when a knock on the doorjamb sounded.

"Jaune." The young man looked up to find Yang standing at the door, her arm wrapping defensively around her waist at his glance. The pose reminded him of Blake, just after she finally announced to JNPR she was a faunas. Given his brief talk he had with Ruby and his team before they set off, he had learned that mentioning the similarity would probably get him back in the hospital and in the clutches of the evil doctor. He would avoid that at all cost at this point and remained quiet short of calling out a greeting.

"Hey Yang." He called out. "You need something?" She looked down a moment, obviously struggling with her thoughts before her head rose with a determination he hadn't seen since her match with Mercury.

"Look, I just wanted to say I'm sorry for how I acted a few days ago." She moved into the room, sitting down beside him.

"It's okay. I know they aren't pretty to look at. I'm still trying to get use to it myself." He sounded rather frustrated with them, Yang watching as he turned his right hand over and looking at all the parts that made up the palm. He flexed his hand again, trying to remember how it was to move with his flesh and blood hands. The artificial palm didn't flex at all as the fingers moved. It probably wasn't anything but to his mind, it looked horribly unnatural. He wanted to cover them quickly and he hurriedly reached for the other glove, groaning as it fell out of his half formed grasp onto the floor. He watched as Yang keeled next to him, giving him a look that was neither pity nor disgust.

"You... need some help?" Yang asked quietly. Jaune gave a soft sad smile.

"Please. Gloves are hard." Yang nodded, giving a small laugh as she picked up the glove, the two taking time to figure out how to slip it on together. The two of them smiled more broadly as they finally accomplished their goal. Yang quietly began asking a few questions about his arms, Jaune noticing her touch her own wound at some of his replies. His smile was brighter than still that day than any other in the months since.

Outside the room, Tai watched with a small proud smile, nodding. He quietly walked away soon afterwards.

(-o0O0o-)

AN:

Eventually I will get back to other stories, but I watched the episode two of V.E. and watched her struggle with typing and this popped in my head. (I can only watch an episode a week due to time constraints.) That said please no one spoil this show for me. It's weird but interesting...though it took me a minute to realize this guy was being called Claudia... EH?!

Anyways this one came out of my head easier than Pain has but I think a connecting piece I was missing popped into my head. So Pain will be updating next week.

I'll not get into reviews but I will say this about one. This is a fanfiction. How this fits into the canon story line really doesn't matter. IF I do have this come full circle with Jaune meeting up with RNPR with Yang I will do some course corrections then. Until then this is just a not so fun little romp into a interesting area.

Till then, peace.


End file.
